Returning After Long Break - Essential Maintenance?

[Kha0s]

Hi - I'm looking to get back into airsoft after a ~10 year hiatus and have a few AEGs, some gas pistols and a spring bolt action that have sat in storage this entire time. Is it safe to assume all of my RIFs will require a bit of work before they are ready to field? I'm thinking at a minimum the seals on all of the GBB mags will have perished and there's a good chance most of the batteries are dead? Are hop rubbers also likely to be bust?Will all of the gearboxes need re-greased too? Anything else I should be considering? Cheers!

[Emergencychimps]

Honestly?! 

 

Id just buy a basic specna arms type aeg. 

 

There has been a massive improvement in the quality of kit available in 10 years.

 

Now, you could regrease everything, swap hop rubbers over and buy new batteries, and it'd cost less but the aim of the game is to have fun. If you dropped out previously it's because you didn't find it fun enough and I'd advise to do the thing that's most fun. 

 

Ruining a couple of games days as you do some maintenance and realize it needs more of this or that isn't worth the savings you'll make or the feeling you're being out performed. This route might cost you the love of the hobby. 

 

Personally if I was determined to fix up what I had, new hop rubbers, new 7.4 lipo batteries and a barrel clean. If opening the gearbox and greasing is needed.....well then id just buy a new one. 

[Kha0s]

8 minutes ago, Emergencychimps said:

Honestly?! 

 

Id just buy a basic specna arms type aeg. 

 

There has been a massive improvement in the quality of kit available in 10 years.

 

Now, you could regrease everything, swap hop rubbers over and buy new batteries, and it'd cost less but the aim of the game is to have fun. If you dropped out previously it's because you didn't find it fun enough and I'd advise to do the thing that's most fun. 

 

Ruining a couple of games days as you do some maintenance and realize it needs more of this or that isn't worth the savings you'll make or the feeling you're being out performed. This route might cost you the love of the hobby. 

 

Personally if I was determined to fix up what I had, new hop rubbers, new 7.4 lipo batteries and a barrel clean. If opening the gearbox and greasing is needed.....well then id just buy a new one. 

Thanks for the feedback! That thought of buying new had crossed my mind, but part of the reason I was wanting to get everything in working order was so that I could sell at least a couple of the guns off. I'll need to dig everything out and do a full inventory but I had definitely gone a bit overboard with purchases before I stopped playing. I'll plan for new hop rubbers and a barrel clean for each as a minimum and take it from there. Regarding GBB mags, do you reckon soaking the seals in silicone oil or similar would be enough to revive them, or will they likely need replaced entirely? I'd like to think I had everything filled with maintenance gas, but I'm not sure I did.

[Lozart]

37 minutes ago, Kha0s said:

Hi - I'm looking to get back into airsoft after a ~10 year hiatus and have a few AEGs, some gas pistols and a spring bolt action that have sat in storage this entire time. Is it safe to assume all of my RIFs will require a bit of work before they are ready to field? I'm thinking at a minimum the seals on all of the GBB mags will have perished and there's a good chance most of the batteries are dead? Are hop rubbers also likely to be bust?Will all of the gearboxes need re-greased too? Anything else I should be considering? Cheers!

 

Anything rubber will probably have dried out so yes, as you suspect it's going to be new hop rubber, gas seals etc at a minimum.

 

Depending on what sort of lube and level of maintenance you were at when the guns went into storage then I'd certainly consider a good overall service.

 

Batteries - absolutely. Get some new ones. If you have Nimh type ones then they've been roundly replaced by LiPo (go for 7.4v ones though). If you already had LiPo be grateful they haven't already burnt your house down and get rid!

1 minute ago, Kha0s said:

Regarding GBB mags, do you reckon soaking the seals in silicone oil or similar would be enough to revive them, or will they likely need replaced entirely? I'd like to think I had everything filled with maintenance gas, but I'm not sure I did.

 

New seals are cheap, just change them over and then you can sell as "refurbished" rather than "serviced but might still leak like a sieve".

[Kha0s]

1 hour ago, Lozart said:

 

Anything rubber will probably have dried out so yes, as you suspect it's going to be new hop rubber, gas seals etc at a minimum.

 

Depending on what sort of lube and level of maintenance you were at when the guns went into storage then I'd certainly consider a good overall service.

 

Batteries - absolutely. Get some new ones. If you have Nimh type ones then they've been roundly replaced by LiPo (go for 7.4v ones though). If you already had LiPo be grateful they haven't already burnt your house down and get rid!

 

New seals are cheap, just change them over and then you can sell as "refurbished" rather than "serviced but might still leak like a sieve".

I was running Nimh batteries in all of my guns before I stepped away, but had bought an internal conversion kit and corresponding LiPo for my KAC PDW. I didn't have a balance charger at the time so never got round to using it, but it will be sat in one of the storage boxes. I'll follow your advice and get rid of it ASAP! Fair point on the seals, not really worth the hassle when I could just replace with new. Once I've done a full inventory, I'll get an order in for new hop buckings and any orings I'll need for the mags.

[Lozart]

Pete at @ak2m4 is my recommendation for parts supply. https://www.ak2m4.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

 

He's a regular here and is always happy to help and advise!

[Kha0s]

6 minutes ago, Lozart said:

Pete at @ak2m4 is my recommendation for parts supply. https://www.ak2m4.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

 

He's a regular here and is always happy to help and advise!

 

I've discovered a lot of the retailers I used to use no longer exist, so this is a big help! Cheers